Personalized Name Pillows*

People have loved making these for their children and it’s written in a way that even a person who has never sewn before, could make these.

These are adorable name pillows that are very easy to make. At youcanmakethis.com there are numerous items that are so simple everyone can make them. They have wonderful ebooks that you can buy, but they also have free patterns to download! This site is just wonderful. They have a really nice newsletter that you can sign up for so then you will be kept up to date at all the wonderful things you can make. The newsletter also advises you what you can make FREE.

From purses, pillows, baby dolls, jewelry, and pretty much most genre’s of crafts are covered. Even crafts kids can make!!!

This is a really great site. I am so glad to be able to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Looking  for some last-minute Summer boredom busters for the kids?  You can find some great ideas in the “’Kids Can Make This” Section of our website. I thought your readers would love to hear about it, too.  These are free downloads and you can teach your kids to sew with a fun fish pillow, learn how to make homemade beads, paper bag books,  and more!

Here is the link:

http://youcanmakethis.com/kids-can-make-this.htm

We also have free newsletters that you and your readers could sign up for and they’d all receive a bundle package of 7 eBooks and online video.  We have newsletters for everything DIY, sewing, crochet, and embroidery.  Each one of those comes with their own sets of free downloads, including how to make the “Debut” purse, how to appliqué, making a birthday table runner, and more.

Here is the link to sign up:

http://www.youcanmakethis.com/ycmt-newsletter.htm

The Plus Size Mommy

Tiny Star Couture Winner

Congrats to the winner of the Tiny Star Couture Hair Clippies, The winner is ALBA !!!

Please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize. Thank You for entering !

The Plus Size Mommy

Transparentcy & Bloggers

You may have recognized lately that I have started to include an  ” * ” asterisk in some of my posts. Usually these are the posts where I do a review on a product. Then I tell you a bit about the product and what I liked about it, and sometimes what I didn’t.

Recently there has been a big bru ha ha about bloggers and especially mommy bloggers and transparently and the FDA.  Well to conform to be as transparent as possible with my readers I am now adding the ” *  ” asterisk symbol to any products that I review on my blog, where the company has actually sent me the product to review and tell you about. Or if they gave me a trip or provided a service for free. I usually include  in my posts that the company sent me “xyz” anyways, but now it will be real clear to everyone!

I will still be truthful in my posting as always. If I feel the product can be better or have some changes made to it, to make life simpler, I will still be letting you know. I will still be reviewing products or services that I believe will benefit you, my reader, or help others, such as a fundraising event or cause.  Just because a company sends me a free product to review doesn’t mean I am going to lie and give it hype it doesn’t deserve. After all what good would that do ?  You may go purchase that product, get it and it wont live up to what I said, all that will do is make you quit subscribing from my blog. Therefore not helping me in the long run either. Then if we don’t let companies know what changes ( in a constructive criticism way not destructive) than how can they know how or where to make changes to make us, the consumer happy ? They wouldn’t…

So, I will still be blogging about everything I usually blog about but to be transparent to you and the FDC in case they follow me, you will now just see the asterisk up in the titles of my posts. This is like a little footnote letting everyone know, that yes, I did get this product (or service) to try free from the company to review for you.

Thank you for reading this public service announcement !

The Plus Size Mommy

Lilicouture – Uniquely Made Baby Wipe Containers

With a designer’s flare for fashion and the desire to turn something  functional into something truly unique, Southern California native Lori  Carlisle launched LiLicouture, a company offering chic, stylish baby  wipe containers.

LiLicouture showcased its first collection in the spring of 2007 and has  exceeded the needs of moms…and dads…everywhere. With a girl’s collection  touching everything from sweet to chic, a boy’s collection full of  fresh, bold colors and third collection fit for both genders,  LiLicouture offers over 50 different handmade baby wipe containers.

My REVIEW:

I recently received the “Sprinkles” wipe container to review from LiLicouture.

it is totally tres chic!! I love the intricate detail and soft feel of the baby wipe container. This is definitely high fashion for your baby wipes. I have never seen anything like it before. The lacing around the sides of the container is so pretty and I love the material used on it as well. This would make a wonderful baby shower surprise gift. The mom would feel really special receiving one of these.

The diaper wipes retail for about $25 which does seem like a lot of money, but to be stylin and having all other mommies  be all googly goo over it while your changing your baby on the go, is so worth it !

Plus when your baby is potty trained and no longer is in need of wipes, you can definitely use this adorable container for jewelry, to use to “wrap” a special present in, or just to use for a little girl who is now in school for her pencil box!  It really has tons of options, so you can definitely get your moneys worth from it.

All of the designs are unique which is another feature I love. I always want to be the unique mommy! You know the one with the awesome things no one else has

There are soooo many styles and options to choose from, so make sure you keep yours unique, and get your girlfriend a different design !

“By utilizing eye-popping, sophisticated fabrics, and working with only the very best products, LiLicouture certainly shows no restraint from style in its girls’ collection. Each baby wipe container is handmade therefore patterns may very slightly.”

Now LiLicouture even has a NEW nursery collection for the full size wipes container! This is wonderful because you can get one to match your nursery.

The Plus Size Mommy

House Of Gems, Sitewarming/giveaway

Have you ever wanted to start your own handmade jewelry store on Etsy or Silkfair, but didn’t know where to start? Maybe you already enjoy scrapbooking and knitting and thought beading might be worth a try, but weren’t sure about the investment.

Now you can win a bracelet making kit plus $75 in product – a $100 value – by entering the “Bejeweled Giveaway” contest. Ten readers across the Momfluence network blogs will be chosen to win!

But there’s more! Those ten winners will be able to submit a picture of their completed bracelet to the House of Gems, and one will be chosen to receive a $250 gift certificate, enough product to really jump start your business.

To Enter:
Readers must choose one or more ways to enter.
Option 1 – Subscribe to one or more of the House of Gems feeds found at http://www.houseofgems.com/feeds.aspx – each feed subscription counts as a new entry! Once you’ve subscribed fill out this entry form: http://cli.gs/ND4NMe

Option 2 – Blog about the “Bejeweled Giveaway” contest on your own site then fill out this entry from: http://cli.gs/ND4NMe

Join us on Twitter Saturday, June 27th at 9:00 p.m. eastern for a #houseofgems SiteWarming party where the 10 winners will be announced!

Don’t miss your chance to win an iPhone 3GS from #houseofgems…
About the House of Gems:

House of Gems, Inc. (www.houseofgems.com) was established to provide quality beads, pearls, findings, pendants, chains and other jewelry making accessories at wholesale prices, directly to the consumer.The people behind Houseofgems.com have been in this business since 1992 and have an extensive network of designers, manufacturers and other direct suppliers to draw upon.

Since they have their own factories,craft shops and import directly, they have the best prices on quality products. Now, with the power of e-commerce they have eliminated the ‘middle men’, bringing their quality products at low wholesale jewelry prices, directly to your doorstep.

TC & Company Review~ Giveaway !!

Take a “Journey Off the Beaten Path” with TC & Company.

TC & Company makes Handcrafted Bath, Body, Home Fragrance, & Spa Products.

Their products have nourishing Ingredients, there are no harsh drying chemicals. They sell creamy Sugar Scrubs, Whipped Butters, Nourishing Lotions, Bath Tea’s, Foot Soaks, Soy, and Beeswax Candles. They also sell Linen Sprays, tart melts, and MORE !

I had a chance to do a product review on these lotions:

Sweet Essence
Apples & Oak
Black Vanilla Orchid Collection
Pineapple Cake

These lotions smell so good. They feel rich and creamy. The Apples and Oak smells “Earthy” and like a fall walk in the woods. the Pineapple Cake smells just like a pineapple upsidedown cake ! It is so wonderfully smelling, I wish they had hair products of this scent ! The black vanilla orchid collection smells flowery with a hint of vanilla.
These lotions will definitely make you feel like your in a spa even at home.

BONUS !!! GIVEAWAY !!!
TC & company have given me an 8 oz. Sweet Essence Lotion to give away to one of my lucky readers !!! – VALUE $9.95
You will LOVE this !

Here is how to enter :

1. Go to TC & Company website and tell me what other scent of lotion, other than the ones I tried you would love to try.
2. Post my button on your blog.
3. For 3 bonus entries, write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to my blog. (please leave 3 seperate comments for this one)
4. sign up to follow my blog
5. for 2 bonus entries subscribe to my blog via my rss feed (click on zebra at top of my blog) – please leave 2 seperate comments for this one.

Thank you for entering and following my blog. This giveaway starts immediately and will end on Thursday March 12th at 9pm eastern time. Winner will be chosen via Random.org.
Have Fun and GOOD LUCK !!!

ETSY FEATURE #4 Primitive Folk Art (Giveaway & Discount code too!!)

About the Artist -

PieCake PRiMiTiVeS
ebay user id: piecakeprim

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZpiecakeprim

view my works also on:
http://www.wsoapp.com/
http://piecakeprimwares.blogspot.com/
www.lemonpoppyseeds.com
www.piecakeprimitives.etsy.com
www.theprimitivegathering.com
www.picturetrail.com/piecakeprim

visit my blog
http://piecakeprimitives.blogspot.com/

Pie Cake Primitives is also offering one of my readers a chance to win a “STAR ORNIE”

<<<----"Star Ornie" you can win !!! Here is how to enter to WIN the above "Star Ornie" -

GOOD LUCK READERS, I HOPE YOU WIN !!!!

Winners of The ETSY Giveaways from my Etsy feature / Mosaic and photograph

Congrats ! The following 2 people won the ETSY a Day giveaway today. Via Random.org Both ladies have been emailed.

Here are your random numbers:

1612

Timestamp: 2009-01-30 05:01:12 UTC

# 16 is Palscreations – you have won the 8 x10 photograph

#12 is Carol/CMKSculptures – you have won the mosaic pendent.

please contact me within 24 hours to claim your prizes, THANK YOU

Featured ETSY #3 – IBreak4Glass AND GIVEAWAY !!!

About The Artist:

Michelle Anderson aka Ibreak4glass formerly Michelle Cook-Dougherty.

I started off in the art world crafting when I was very young, making clothing for my Troll dolls out of scraps of fabric and paper. Then My Dad bought me my first Kodak 110 camera. I took pictures of every thing and everyone. I didn’t really appreciate the eye of the camera until my oldest of 5 sons was born.

I took a photography class at a local high school at night. I realized I had a gift. A friend of mine asked me to do some photo’s of her son in black and white and hand color them. I had no idea how to do that. So in my online research I bumped into Peggy Bradbury of St. Louis. She was trying to write and article for shutterbug Magazine on the subject of Hand coloring and asked me to collaborate with her.

In September of 1999 under the Feature “Women In Photography” A guide to Hand coloring by Michelle Cook-Dougherty and Peggy Bradbury. It was an exciting time for me. I loved to write and now I was published.

I continued with the photography working out of my home and on location. All the while painting, crafting, scrap booking, stamping and creating. I won several online Photography contests 1st place and an honorable mention.I also won the Middle Town Times Herald Records photography contest in 2001.

On 09-11-01 My children and I loaded our Van and moved from just north of NY city back to Buffalo NY. It was a time of change and a time to put my crafting aside and raise my sons by myself. I was injured at my job working with children of various degrees of disabilities. That was in May of 2006.

Since then I started breaking glass and creating mosaics which I have to say is totally addicting. And I picked up my camera again. I do an occasional wedding and photo shoot, but mostly shoot what I love, nature, and candid shots of kids and people. I have turned my Photography into photo Art which I sell in my studio at http://Ibreak4glass.artfire.com and http://JustDuckiePhotoArt.etsy.com. I also have a mosaic store on Etsy.

******UPDATE***** Ibreak4glass has JUST opened a brand NEW line AND GIVEAWAY TODAY Just go to http://ibreak4glass.blogspot.com/2009/01/announcing-my-new-line-and-giveaway.html to see it FIRST and Enter to win !!!! Good Luck (It is BEAUTIFUL)

My Review: Due to timing on this post, I unfortunately was not able to review any of the art she produces. However, looking at her work online looks absolutely fabulous !!! I am very excited about her ETSY shops.

THE GIVEAWAYS:

Chelle, the artist, has offered 2 WONDERFULLY GENEROUS prizes to giveaway to 2 of my lucky readers !!!

#1 – The first special giveaway from IBreak4Glass is a 8×10 photo art original signed by Michelle.
(Value $19.00)

#2 – A Mosaic Pendant by Ibreak4glass of the artists choice (value $20.00)

How to Win:

* Remember you MUST follow my blog to win*

Each comment = 1 entry.

1. visit Just Ducky Photo Art and comment which 8 x 10 art work you love the best.

2. visit Ibreak4glass and tell me which mosaic you would LOVE to have.

3. visit fiery photographers and comment which photograph you like the most.

4. visit Ibreak4glass artfire shop and comment how much is the BUTTERFLY MOSAIC WALL HANGING ?

5.visit piece makers mosaics and comment to me what is the “motto” of Piece Makers Mosaics?

6.visit fiery photographers and comment to me the name of Michelle Andersons photograph ?

7. visit Ibreak4glass and Sign her guest book.

8. follow me on twitter I am @plussizemommy

9. follow @Ibreak4glass on twitter

So, everyone has up to 9 chances to win !!!! Please only enter each one once. But make sure to leave a separate comment for each one, otherwise, if you leave all 9 in 1 comment, that will only give you 1 chance,and you want 9 not 1 !!!

This contest starts immediately and will end at 11:00 PM on Thursday January 29Th. (Eastern Time). Winners will be chosen by Random.org. I will choose for the 8 x 10 photo first, then a 2ND drawing for the Mosaic pendant. Winners will be emailed, so make sure I have that to contact you, and winners will also be posted on this site. Winners will have 24 hours to reply with home address, or another winner will be drawn. Thank you for reading my blog.
Have Fun, and Good Luck !!!!

ETSY Feature #2 – An Indie Designer – ELPY

ABOUT THE ARTIST :

Rebecca Jackson is a home school graduate and Connecticut-based indie designer. Her shop is elpy [Handcrafted]. Discontented with using eBay as a venue for handmade items, She discovered and started selling leftovers from previous crafty ventures on Etsy when she was 19.

Now, three years later, her work has changed to reflect her love for shapes and colors. They are frequent themes in her jewelry, pyrography and sewn items. She’s constantly coming up with new ideas, exploring new techniques and figuring out how to incorporate them into her work.

To see more at her ETSY shop, please visit her ETSY site :

http://www.elpyhandcrafted.com

MY REVIEW:

I have received some of Ms. Jackson’s work from her elpy handcrafted series. They are wooden magnets, one with the Alphabet and the other with numbers on it.

They are hand cut, sanded, and drawn on with her special tools, and she has also sealed them.

They are really beautiful. And me being a parent, I also like functional items, and these are perfect for helping me teach my 3 yr. old her alphabet and numbers while I am cooking in the kitchen. They are superior quality and very lovely.

The elpy designs shop has a variety of items for sale. They include : coasters,magnets, bead jewelry, knot jewelry, pin backs, and wristlets.

THE GIVEAWAY

She is giving away similar magnets on her “Not Rachael” elpy site, so here is the link to win. Her contest is open until January 31st.
here is the link for the giveaway: http://not-rachel.blogspot.com/2009/01/giveaway.html

Good Luck !!!

Please visit her Etsy shop and support her by purchasing something today, she has a nice variety of items that would make wonderful gifts, and her prices are more than reasonable, especially being that this is all handmade !!

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